Red flags mean nothing to our politicians with Exxon in the game

Dear Editor,

With the Minister of Natural Resources in the shadows, the strongman at the helm of Guyana’s oil and gas governance is the VP Jagdeo. The fact that Jagdeo has appointed himself as the judge, jury and executioner to decide if the Kaieteur and Canje giveaway warrants an independent probe, constitutes a huge “red flag,” emblazoned with the words “conflict of interest” from the perspective of the PPP being in Govt. This mode of action by the VP is an insult to the intelligence of Guyanese and we know what the outcome will be.

The KN article of December 14, “Don’t expect PPP to remedy the suspicious Kaieteur, Canje blocks – Jan Mangal,” leaves no room for speculation. The giveaways will remain a done deal! Jan Mangal shored up his thesis by asking, “Why would the same people who gave away these two blocks now behave differently and remedy the situation?” I figure the VP will never answer this question without his usual cynicism – no laws broken, no corruption.

It is no secret that the international NGO’s like Global Witness and others were birthed because of the sufferings endured by people in resource rich countries because of the plundering of their resources by transnational companies, aided and abated by corrupt politicians through unjust contracts.
These NGO are in the forefront, advocating for transparency and fair contracts in the extractive sectors.

They offer guidelines to receptive or caring Governments to follow and warning signals (red flags) to caution these Governments to avoid falling to the wiles of the oil companies so that their subjects (people) can have a fair share of the wealth generated from their God given resources. What is so difficult to understand about the scope and intent of the NGO’s is that the VP should accuse “Global Witness” of not finding “a single shred of evidence” to support that there was corruption? This is both criminal and mundane as far as reality is concerned! Our elected officials are trying to paint pictures of our friends (NGO’s) into enemies whilst befriending the real enemies that are poised to plunder our resources.

The red flags had piled up against companies that were initially handed the Kaieteur and Canje blocks from registration in secrecy jurisdiction, lack of experience and finances to rapid flipping of the blocks – the article revealed something that few Guyanese knew. Mangal felt that the accumulation of red flags in the giveaway was justifiably sufficient for President Granger to rescind the two blocks and Granger had the executive power to do so but he did not, instead opting for an investigation by SARA. That investigation went nowhere. Granger, the man on a mission to recover stolen state assets suddenly going soft has inspired the conspiracy theorist in me to think that Exxon had a hand in this decision.

They probably promised him a second term for shelving the “giveaway.” Had Granger done that one deed – rescind the Kaieteur and Canje blocks- it may have been enough for him to win the 2020 election.
It seems Exxon played both sides (APNU/PPP). No one will ever know what Exxon told the VP as opposition leader. Guyanese should demand an independent investigation into the giveaway of both blocks.

Yours truly,
Rudolph Singh